On the Road to Awe
by Phantom Pixie
Summary: Mark is suffocated by darkness and haunted by his past. Aveila radiates with innocence but thrives off of danger. When her life begins to spiral out of control, there is only one person she can trust, the enemy. Thus a deadly game of cat & mouse ensues.
1. The Mission

**Authors Note:** Well here is the first chapter of my story. Jack will play a huge role throughout the story, but we won't see him again for quite a few chapters. The back story will make more sense as we divulge further into the plot. 

Anyway, if you like it and want to read more, _**review**_ ;) 

-x-

"_You're late" the man sneered. _

_The brunette simply smiled, "You are lucky I came at all Jack" she replied smoothly. _

"_I knew you would come" Jack replied, a smug smirk spreading across his handsome face. He took a few small steps towards her, brushing his hand against her cheek "I know you too well Aveila, you cannot resist temptation." _

_Aveila brushed past him, "Are you going to tell me why you summoned me here?" she asked, changing the subject. She leaned back against the car, her eyes pierced firmly on his, "What do you want?" _

"_You have really transformed into the perfect little business woman Aveila, I am very impressed" Jack said, making her wait a little longer before revealing his intentions. "I need you to do something for me and I'm not going to lie, it's extremely dangerous." _

_Aveila regarded him curiously "I'm listening" she said, prompting him to continue. _

"_I need you settle an old score for me" he paused for a few moments, removing a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. He lit one and continued "Do you know anything about Vince McMahon?"_

_Aveila shook her head "I have never heard of him" she said quietly. _

"_Good, the less you know the better" Jack said, inhaling smoke. "All you need to know is that he owns a company called the WWE and he has a weakness for cheap blonde hookers. I want you to earn McMahons trust and respect, infiltrate the WWE and bring it to its fucking knees."_

_Aveila tilted her head to the side slightly, "Well that sounds relatively simple" she said with a hint of sarcasm. "Is this a personal vendetta? Do you have a problem with McMahon?"_

"_Of course I have a fucking problem with McMahon" Jack sneered. He threw the cigarette to the side and stepped towards Aveila, resting his arms on either side of her, blocking her in "McMahon and I go way back. He came to me about sixteen years ago for help. The WWF, as it called back then, was in some serious shit. I kept the cops off him for years and made sure the media knew nothing about the real controversies surrounding the company and McMahons personal life. I made sure witnesses did not turn up for court when McMahon was being sued by every motherfucker in the country."_

_Jack leaned forward, his face inches away from hers "... then the sleazy motherfucker set me up. He tried to grass me up to the cops. Now it's time for McMahon to pay. I'm going to expose the fuckwit for the fraud that he is and you, little one, are going to help me." _

"_What's in it for me?" Aveila asked, biting down on her bottom lip. _

_Jack smirked "We will discuss your reward when the job is done" he said in a low voice. He brushed his hand against her cheek again and smirked "What do you say Aveila, are you in or out?" _

"_Oh I'm in, but it's going to cost you old man" she replied playfully. _

It did not take long for Aveila to make contact with WWE representatives. At first she presented herself as a potential investor, hoping to make a profit from the company's success. After a series of telephone conferences she managed to secure a meeting with Vince McMahon himself. The billionaire was clearly enthralled by her charm and reputation and immediately offered her a position within the company. McMahons daughter Stephanie was out on maternity leave which left a massive hole in the company, one Aveila was more than happy to fill. It was the perfect opportunity to do some research on the company and earn McMahons trust at the same time. It was almost too easy.

Aveila took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping into the arena. It was terribly quiet at night, almost too quiet for her liking. She strode confidently down the corridor, ignoring the curious whispers of the backstage staff and several WWE superstars. She was just about to turn the corner when a tall, middle-aged, tattooed man pushed into her, almost knocking her off her feet.

"Watch where you're going!" Mark sneered.

"You're the one that knocked into me you obnoxious oath" Aveila hissed.

"Big words for such a little girl" Mark replied disdainfully.

Mark observed the brunette with interest. She was very young. She could be no older than twenty three but she was strikingly beautiful. She had a stunning almost pixie-like face with big pale blue eyes, high cheek bones and rouge lips. Her long dark brown hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail. She was extremely slim and slender with a tiny waist and mouth-watering curves. For a brief moment, Mark considered apologising for his behaviour, but only if it improved his chances of fucking her.

"Are you going to move?" Aveila said, interrupting Marks thoughts. Her tone was cold and almost bitter.

"Why? Are you in a hurry to get somewhere darlin'?" Mark asked with a hint of amusement. He folded his large arms across his chest, refusing to move out of the way.

Aveila glared at him; clearly unimpressed "Actually I do" she paused for a brief moment "Now if you don't mind I have a meeting to attend so I would really appreciate it if you moved your big overgrown ass out of my way."

"Mark is there a problem here?" a sickeningly high-pitched voice asked. A tall blonde woman made her way towards Mark. She placed a hand on his shoulder and glared at Aveila "Is this prissy little bitch bothering you?"

Mark opened his mouth to respond, but Aveila beat him to it "Let me see, tall, shapeless, voice like a strangled cat ... you must be Michelle?" she retorted.

"Who do you think you're talking to little girl? Do you even know who I am?" Michelle said, squaring up to her.

"Do you really want me to answer that question blondie?" Aveila replied, unable to hide her smirk. She noticed a small crowd gathering around them.

"You better adjust your attitude little girl and show me some respect before I knock you out" Michelle warned.

Aveila paused for a brief second, considering the threat before continuing "Try it, I _dare_ you" she taunted.

"Alright put the claws away ladies" a familiar voice interrupted.

The small crowd began to disperse as Vince McMahon made his way towards them. Michelle immediately threw herself into the role of victim, trying to earn McMahons sympathy.

"Mr McMahon, could you please do something about this despicable brat. Who is she anyway? I thought interns were not allowed backstage" she sulked.

Vince slid his hands into his pockets "Mark" he said, giving him a brief nod before turning his attention to Michelle "Miss Prideaux is not an intern Michelle; she is the newest member of the WWE family. She has kindly agreed to fill in for Stephanie during her absence."

"Filling in for Stephanie?" Michelle stuttered "...but I thought, oh ..."

"You thought I was just a tiny little goldfish in a giant pond" Aveila said in a somewhat arrogant manner.

"Is this a permanent arrangement?" Mark interrupted. He was talking to Vince, but his eyes were focused on the brunette.

Vince shrugged "Stephanie wants to play a smaller role in the company. When she returns she will be travelling with the RAW brand, Aveila will continue her role here on Smackdown" he explained.

"Aveila is an exceptional businesswoman. She will do great things for this company" Vince boasted.

"Do you have any immediate plans for the company?" Michelle asked in a surprisingly civil tone.

Aveila turned her attention to the tall blonde diva and smirked, "Oh I think my first priority is to get rid of some of the bad eggs here on Smackdown and what better way to do that than draft them off to Raw" she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"... but, but ... you can't do that!" Michelle screeched. "What if Mark gets drafted to Raw and I'm stuck here on this bloody sham of a show. We are a married couple, you cannot separate us."

Aveila smirked "I can assure you Michelle, _when _I send Mark to Raw, _you _will be going with him" she said smoothly.

"I guess you're not as naive as you look" Michelle gloated.

"... and I guess you're not as easy as you look. I did not realize you two were married but I guess it makes sense. You two are so alike, you deserve each other" she retorted.

"I don't see a wedding ring on your finger" Michelle spat "I suppose there is no-one stupid enough to propose to a prissy little princess like you."

"Funny you should mention that because I see no wedding ring on your husband's finger either" Aveila said coldly.

"Why you little bitch ..." Michelle screamed, pushing Aveila back.

Vince shook his head and chuckled "Now, now Michelle put the claws away. Aveila was just playing around weren't you dear?"

"Of course" Aveila smirked, clearly amused by Michelle's outburst.

"Now then, I have a few minutes before my next meeting. Why don't we go and discuss your next title shot Michelle?" Vince said.

Michelle's eyes seemed to light up "Of course sir" she said quickly. "I'll see you later Mark" she said, before disappearing down the corridor with the chairman.

"Quite the little tongue you've got there" Mark said, breaking the silence.

Aveila glared at him "Quite the wife you've got there. Aren't you even the tiniest bit worried though?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Why would I be worried darlin'?"

"Well ... from what I hear Vince has a weakness for conceited blonde women that don't mind lying on their backs" she teased.

"Don't even finish that sentence little girl" Mark sneered.

Mark instinctively reached forward wrapping his large hand around her tiny swan-like neck. He squeezed it gently, his eyes staring at her with such intensity, it was absolutely terrifying. The sweet scent of her perfume tickled his senses, mesmerizing him. He could feel the pulse slowing down in her neck and hear her heart pounding in her chest, it was driving him wild.

"Get your hands off her Calaway" one of the security guards warned.

Mark reluctantly moved his hand from her throat. Aveila stepped away from him, massaging the area his monstrous hand had just squeezed.

"Are you alright Miss Prideaux?" the guard asked concerned.

"I am fine thank you" Aveila replied, trying to compose herself. She glared at Mark, hatred burning in her eyes "Move" she demanded "Now!"

Mark stood his ground, refusing to move. Aveila took a deep breath and smirked "You are really starting to try my patience" she said coldly.

"Step out of the way Calaway or I'll be forced to tell the boss what I just saw" the security guard warned "Come on man don't be an asshole."

Mark growled and stepped out of the way. Aveila pushed past him and strode down the corridor. Mark slid his hands back into his pocket and watched her leave with grim satisfaction. He was going to enjoy playing with the feisty little princess. For once, McMahon actually made a wise decision.


	2. Freak Show

**Authors Note: **Second chapter is up, Aveila makes an unlikely friend and Mark loses the plot again. :) I changed her name from Aveia to Aveila because it sounds much pleasanter and doesn't mean oats ;) I know Aveila seems like a bitch at the moment, but that is all just a facade =) we'll start to see the real Aveila very soon. Thank you to everyone that read the last chapter and especially UTlove75 for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it.

Anyway, if you like it and want to read more then please, _**review**_ ;)

-x-

It was a freak show she realised, after just a few short days. It had nothing to do with talent; it was all about size, charisma and uniqueness. The roster was full of muscular monsters with overgrown beards, greasy hair and too much testosterone. There were a couple of giants and one midget. It was a bloody circus and she was the new ringleader. Of course she knew most of the stars were just acting; away from the cameras they were probably relatively normal people, but it didn't change the fact that they were society's misfits.

Aveila pushed the thoughts to the back of her head and strode down the corridor towards the main cafeteria. Eating with the freaks was going to be harder than conversing with them, but it was completely necessary. She knew absolutely nothing about the industry or its controversial history, so befriending a few superstars was vital. She pushed the cafeteria door open and stepped inside, looking around the room with interest. The animals sat in their little groups, talking about their performances and gossiping about trivial things. Out of the side of her eye she noticed a small, stout woman making her way towards her.

"Miss Prideaux, I was not expecting you to join us" Vickie chirped.

"No need for formalities Vickie, call me Aveila" she said smoothly. She began to pour herself a cup of coffee "Do the superstars always eat together?"

"Most of the time" Vickie replied almost immediately "Would you like to sit with us? I could introduce you to some of the superstars, the nicer ones at least."

Aveila stared at the stout woman for a few seconds before replying, "Thank you for the kind offer, but I can observe things much better from here."

"Oh, well, if you change your mind ..." Vickie said, clearly disappointed.

"Wise choice" a voice called behind her.

Aveila tilted her head to the side slightly, observing the man "I'm glad you approve" she said, with a hint of sarcasm.

"Oh I do" the man replied, stepping in front of her "Names Shawn, you must be Av... Ava ...Avery"

"Aveila" she corrected.

Shawn chuckled, "Yes Aveila, that's it. Beautiful name, very rare" he said thoughtfully.

"Are you going somewhere with this or just wasting my time?" Aveila asked smoothly.

"I'm just making conversation with a beautiful young woman" Shawn shrugged. He leaned back against the breakfast table, folding his arms across his chest "I suppose some of the guys have come onto you huh? I can't say I blame them, if I wasn't married I would ..."

"Even then I still wouldn't ..." Aveila smirked.

"Was that a smile?" Shawn said, throwing his arms into the air. "Could it be? Did you just smile?"

Aveila shook her head and laughed "You are so dramatic" she said light-heartedly.

"It doesn't take you long does it" an annoyingly high-pitched voice squeaked behind them "You've only been here a few days and you're already flirting with the stars."

Michelle stepped between them, arms folded across her chest "I hate to break it to you, sweetie, but this one here is washed up" she said mockingly.

"She's not flirting with anyone Michelle so why don't you crawl back into your cage where you belong" Shawn replied, clearly annoyed by her comments.

Aveila simply smirked "Do I sense a hint of jealousy?" she said smoothly. She glared at Michelle "From what I hear you practically ruled this locker room in Stephanie's absence. Now that Stephanie has been replaced your little power trip is over. Life must really suck right now huh?"

"You have no real authority here. I'm the hardest working diva on this roster. If you mess with me, I'll make your life hell. Do you understand me bitch?" Michelle practically screamed. She squared up to Aveila yet again, trying to intimidate her.

Aveila did not back away "Do you honestly think I'm afraid of you?" she laughed icily. "I am not going anywhere Michelle, so if you want to start something, by all means be my guest."

"What's going on here?" Mark asked curiously, stepping into the cafeteria. Glen followed closely behind him.

"You need to keep your wife on a leash Mark" Shawn told his friend.

"Don't listen to him Mark, I didn't start this" Michelle whined "this ... this ..."

Michelle did not finish her sentence, she was too angry. Without warning, she grabbed Aveila's coffee from her and threw it over her. She wanted the brunette to hit her first so that she could justify slapping the smirk off her pretty little face but to her surprise the brunette did not react. Aveila remained perfectly calm and collected. She glared Michelle, venom burning in her eyes.

"You just made a huge mistake" she said, her voice no louder than a whisper.

Aveila pushed past the tall blonde and her monstrous husband. She confidently strode out of the cafeteria, her head held high. She did not have time to play petty little games with Michelle and that giant oath. She needed to concentrate on her mission. If Shawn did not seem so friendly with Mark, she would have befriended him. It was a pity really; he seemed like a decent guy. Aveila stepped into her office, slamming the door behind her. She slowly began to unbutton her coffee-stained blouse, contemplating her next move. Befriending Vince was out of the question, he was clearly a horny old man with more money and testosterone than sense. She refused to sleep with the freaks; Jack knew she was too classy for that sort of thing. She would just have to think outside the box, or in this case, squared circle.

Aveila slipped her blouse off, throwing it to the side. She removed a rouge blouse from her bag and slipped it on. She was just about to finish buttoning the last few buttons when the office door flew open, revealing her least favourite person, next to his wife of course, Mark Calaway.

"I want a word with you darlin'" he said in a low voice. Mark slammed the door shut, making sure there would be no interruptions or witnesses.

Aveila glared at Mark "I do not have time for this crap Mark so say what you have to say and get the hell out of my office" she hissed.

"I've been thinking about what you said yesterday, about sending me to Raw and I'm here to tell you I'm going nowhere darlin'" Mark replied smoothly, ignoring her hostile tone.

"Encase it slipped your notice; the name on that door says Aveila Prideaux not Mark Calaway. You do not have the authority to make decisions, I do. I've already started negotiating with Raw, it will only be a matter of weeks maybe days before the transfer takes place, so don't get too comfy" she retorted.

Mark took a few steps towards her, a dark glint in his eyes "I mustn't have made myself clear enough darlin', I'm staying here so if you've got a problem with me, I suggest you deal with it because I'm going nowhere" he said menacingly.

"I guess you're not as dumb as you look" Aveila replied, refusing to back down, "You're right; I do have a problem with you. I have a huge problem with you and your cheap tramp of a wife."

"You better watch that tongue of yours little girl" Mark sneered.

"What's the matter Mark? Does the truth hurt?" Aveila said, deliberately trying to get under his skin.

Overcome with rage, Mark instinctively reached forward, grabbing Aveila by the hair. He moved his free hand to her neck, squeezing it tightly. The arrogant little bitch needed to learn some respect. For a brief moment he considered wringing her beautiful little neck. He loosened his grip just a little, expecting her to scream or call out for help, but she did neither.

"What are you going to do now Mark? Strike me?" she whispered, gathering her strength.

Mark suddenly realized the severity of his actions. In all his years of marriage, and all the women he'd slept with, he'd never put his hands on a woman, outside of the ring. He was always in control, never lost his temper and yet here he was, towering over the little beauty, his huge hands wrapped around her throat. She did not even do anything wrong but he couldn't help himself. She was so fragile and breakable; he knew he could kill her with his bare hands; it was overwhelming and strangely arousing. What surprised him most about the situation was the fact that she remained completely emotionless. He released her throat and took a few steps back, trying to distance himself from her.

Aveila stumbled backwards and rubbed her neck "I really think you should reconsider your decision to stay on Smackdown Mark" she said softly.

"I cannot have someone like you on my show. You clearly need to vanquish some demons and I think the best way for you to do that is to move to Raw" she continued, her tone surprisingly gentle and almost caring.

"... I'll send Michelle to Raw with you so that you won't be completely alone, and if necessary, I could also arrange for Glen to go too" she said convincingly.

"At least think about it"

"I don't need to think about it" Mark said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "You better get used to having me around darlin', cause I'm going nowhere. Watch your back little girl, cause I'm watching you."

Before Aveila could respond, Mark swept out of the office, slamming the door behind him. A few minutes later the door opened again but this time Shawn stepped inside.

"What crawled up his ass?" he chuckled.

Aveila stared at the handsome blonde for a brief second and smirked, "I'm trying to transfer him to Raw and he is not happy. I guess he sees it as a personal attack" she said smoothly.

"Mark's a complicated guy. I know he seems like a grumpy old bastard but once you get to know him, he's actually a kick ass guy with a big heart" Shawn shrugged.

Aveila rubbed her neck "Oh, I didn't realise you wanted to make love to him" she teased.

"How do you know I haven't doll?" Shawn winked.

"Touché" Aveila laughed.

"Let's forget about the big ape for now, what are you doing tonight?"

"I don't have anything planned yet, why?" Aveila replied thoughtfully.

Shawn slid his hands into his pockets "Good, you're coming out with me. Don't worry, I'm not going to hit on you, it's just a nice little drink between friends, what do you say?"

"I'll think about it" Aveila said smoothly.

"Good, I'll see you at seven then?" Shawn said hopefully.

Aveila smiled, giving in "See you at seven" she repeated.


	3. Tess

**Authors Note** – Hey guys, sorry it took so long to update but real life comes first. Thanks to everyone that read the last chapter and especially UTlove75 and Taker's Soul Girl for reviewing, I really appreciate the fact that you took the time to review =). Well here comes chapter three, we see a nicer side of Mark ... for now.

If you like what you've read, please _**review**_. The more reviews, the quicker the chapters go up!

-x-

The next few days passed without any major disruptions. Aveila spent most afternoons in her office, reading through various WWE policies and procedures. She was determined to find a flaw in the franchise, something that would expose the company's dark past. If Vince McMahon was hiding something, no matter how insignificant, she would find it. She wanted to gather as much information as possible before handing it over to Jack. It was nothing personal of course, just business. She did not have anything against Vince, he was an exceptional businessman, calculated and ruthless yet absolutely brilliant, but there was something sleazy about him, something she did not trust. His weakness for women would ultimately lead to his downfall. Aveila almost felt sorry for him, _almost_. She spent very little time with the superstars and even less time with Shawn. Her mind was completely focused on her assignment. The sooner she exposed Vince, the better.

Aveila stepped out of her Lamborghini Reventon, removing her sunglasses. She stepped around the car, observing the Harley parked in her reserved parking space. She did not need to ask who owned the bike; there was only one moron arrogant enough to park in her space, Calaway. She tapped her foot impatiently, contemplating her next move. She was strongly considering getting back into her car and driving into the bike, but she didn't want to scrape her car. Calaway was seriously starting to get on her nerves. True to his word, everywhere she turned, the giant oath was watching. He was suffocating her and enjoying it.

"Jesus, you're a difficult girl to track down" a familiar voice called behind her.

Aveila turned around, surprised to see a shapely red-head standing behind her, "Tess" she said surprised.

"Neat bike, is it yours?" Tess asked, admiring the Harley.

"Very funny" Aveila replied sarcastically. She tilted her head to the side slightly, observing her friend with interest, "... what are you doing here Tess?"

Tess shrugged "I lost my job and fancied a change of scenery. I really need some excitement in my life so I thought I'd go and stay with my best friend. Of course, my so-called best friend forgot to mention the fact that she turned down a marriage proposal from her gorgeous Italian boyfriend and is now travelling with a bunch of hot sweaty men in tight pants."

"It was kind of a spare of the moment thing" she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"... or a Jack thing" Tess said knowingly.

"This has nothing to do with Jack" Aveila replied sharply. She sighed, running her fingers through her long dark brown hair "Do you want to go get some coffee?"

"As long as we can get food too, I'm starving" Tess complained.

Tess stepped away from the Harley and followed Aveila into the arena. She could not believe she was actually going to eat in the same cafeteria as some of the greatest stars in wrestling history. She tried not to look too excited; after all, she did not want to embarrass her friend. She stepped into the cafeteria and looked around in amazement.

"Close your mouth Tess, you're starting to drool" Aveila said smoothly.

"You are the best friend ever" Tess squeaked. She picked up a tray and began to fill it with various items of food "Aren't you eating?"

Aveila shook her head "I'm not hungry, but don't let that stop you" she said gently.

"You should eat even when you're not hungry, guys like girls with a bit of meat on their bones" Tess said, holding a piece of bread between her teeth.

Aveila poured herself a cup of coffee and smirked "You're an idiot" she said light-heartedly, "Go find a table, I'll get some napkins."

"Get me some ketchup too" Tess shouted.

Aveila picked up a handful of napkins and a few sachets of ketchup. She turned around, searching for the red-head. To her complete and utter horror, Tess took a seat next to Calaway, Glen and Shawn. She sighed and reluctantly made her way towards their table, inwardly cursing her friend. She dropped the ketchup and a few napkins in front of her friend and seated herself at the table behind them, refusing to sit anywhere near Calaway.

"I saved you a seat" Tess said, chewing on some bacon.

"I'm fine here" Aveila said irritably.

Tess snorted "You snob!"

"She's not a snob; she's just trying to do her job. She can't let the other superstars know she favours me over them" Shawn chuckled, defending Aveila "Right doll?"

Mark stared at the red-head and then Aveila, unable to hide his smirk "So Tess, how did someone as normal and interesting as you, meet someone as stuck-up as _her_?"

"We met about two years ago, I think. Aveila hired me to be her P.A. and we immediately became friends. I know you guys probably think she's the Ice Princess now that she's your boss, but once you get to know her, she's actually a very sweet, kind-hearted girl" Tess boasted.

Aveila turned her attention to the tall blonde making her way towards their table. Michelle folded her arms across her chest, or rather lack of chest and glared at Tess, "Who is this slut?"

"Did that blonde dude just call me a slut?" Tess whispered across to Aveila.

Aveila smirked with amusement "Tess, this is Michelle, Marks wife" she said smoothly, introducing them.

"Marks wife?" Tess screeched in disbelief. She turned her attention to Mark "Strange, you don't strike me as the type of man that goes for irritating blondes, big guy."

"You would be surprised, Mark has the worst taste in women" Shawn said, stretching his legs under the table. "Maybe if he went for a hot red-head, he wouldn't be divorced so many times."

Tess giggled and turned her attention back to Michelle, "What's your problem anyway? We're just talking. It's not like I'm going to steal your husband."

"You're my problem" Michelle said, wagging her finger at Tess "I don't know what you are or where you've come from but nobody sits near my man but me, you got that slut?"

Tess pulled out the chair beside her, "Well if you want to sit beside your husband, by all means have a seat, unless of course you're afraid."

Michelle pushed past Shawn and tried to squeeze past Tess' chair which was very close to the next table. She deliberately elbowed the back of Tess' head on the way past. Aveila had seen enough. It was time to put the blonde in her place. Before Michelle's bum could hit the chair, Aveila slipped her foot under it and swiftly pulled the chair out from under her. Michelle hit the floor, pulling the table cloth and half of Tess' breakfast with her.

Aveila stared down at the blonde, pretending to look concerned, "Oops" she said innocently. She smirked and turned her attention to the shocked red-head, "Come on Tess, I'll give you a tour of the arena."

"Great! I'll see you guys later" Tess replied eagerly. She stood up, stepping over Michelle and followed Aveila out of the cafeteria.

Aveila could not help but smile. The look on Michelle's face as she hit the floor was priceless. She turned her attention to Tess, "How long are you staying?" she asked gently.

"I don't know. How long can you put up with me?" Tess shrugged.

"Well I guess I could use a P.A. but if you're not interested I'll ..."

"Are you serious?" Tess screeched "I'll do it!"

Aveila laughed "I will start making the arrangements then" she said smoothly. "There is one condition though; you cannot talk about my personal life to anyone associated with the WWE, do you understand? My job requires a certain level of respect and privacy, the less people know about me the better."

"I'll keep my big trap shut" Tess agreed "So ... tell me more about Mark"

Aveila stared at her friend "What do you mean?" she asked intrigued.

"Oh come on, surely you saw the way he was looking at me. He was practically undressing me with his eyes the horny big brute" Tess giggled. "There is something irresistible about him though, he is so dark and mysterious. He is absolutely gorgeous, don't you think?"

Aveila looked repulsed, "Gorgeous? I think not" she said disdainfully.

"Speak of the devil" Tess said, moving her hands to her hips.

Mark slid his hands into his pockets and confidently strode towards them, "Tess, I just wanted to check and make sure that you were alright. Michelle was out of line. She had no right to speak to you that way" he said in an almost apologetic tone.

"Oh you don't have to apologise Mark. She was just protecting her man and I respect her for that so no hard feelings" Tess replied.

"At least let me make it up to you. We're all heading into town tonight for some beers, you two should come" he said casually.

Tess turned to Aveila "What do you think?" she asked excitedly.

"I would rather carve my own heart out with a spoon" Aveila said, her voice oozing with sarcasm.

Tess shrugged "I guess it's just me then, what time are we leaving?" she asked, turning her attention back to Mark.

"Around eight" Mark replied, his cold eyes pierced firmly on Aveila. "Tess, can you give us a minute? I need to speak with Miss Prideaux alone."

"Sure, I need to find something to wear tonight anyway" Tess shrugged. She skipped down the corridor leaving Mark alone with her friend.

Mark stepped towards Aveila, towering over the petite brunette, "what the hell is your problem darlin'?" he sneered.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Aveila retorted.

"I've had just about enough of your fucking attitude darlin'" Mark said dangerously, "Now you may not like me, but you will respect me."

Aveila refused to back down, "You have done nothing to deserve my respect" she hissed "I detest you. You are perhaps the most repulsive man I have ever met. Now I have made my opinions perfectly clear Mark, so do us both a favour and just stay out of my way."

"That is going to be very difficult princess considering we're going to be working on a more intimate basis from now on" Mark said sinisterly. "Vince has just made me your new business partner. He thinks we'd make a good team and for once I agree with him, of course you'll have to put that pretty little tongue of yours to better use."

Aveila reacted by slapping him across the face. She slapped him so hard his head snapped to the side. Infuriated, she swept past him and disappeared down the corridor, leaving Mark to lick his wounds. He could not believe she slapped him. His cheek was still burning from the impact. Mark licked his bottom lip, tasting blood. He smirked; the little princess had bite after all. He slid his hands back into his pocket and began to walk down the corridor; a devious plan formulating in his head.


End file.
